News

Finals action continues this week as the netball community prepares for the DOOLEYS Metro League Preliminary Finals, starting with Divisions 3 and 4 tonight, Monday 29 August, at Netball Central.

Divisions 5 and 6 will follow tomorrow night, Tuesday 30 August, before the top two Divisions wrap things up on Thursday evening, 1 September.

SOPA Parking Advice

Sydney Olympic Park Authority (SOPA) has advised Netball NSW that improvement works will be undertaken to upgrade the P3 Car Park, which is located nearby Netball Central on Sarah Durack Road.

To allow for the works to occur, SOPA advises that sections of the P3 Car Park will be temporarily unavailable; therefore affecting capacity for patrons.

To avoid lengthy delays finding parking in P3, Netball NSW would like to advise our community that additional parking is available nearby in the P4 Car Park which is located near the Hockey Centre (refer to map below). The same parking prices/processes apply for P4 as they do P3. Click here for further information.

Before we get the penultimate week underway, check out how the teams will face each other in the Preliminary Finals…

Division 1

St George District v Ku-ring-gai / Thurs 1 Sept, 8:30pm

Based on previous results, picking a winner between St George District and Ku-ring-gai would be at your peril with both sides claiming tight wins over the other during the 2016 season. St George drew first blood in Round 7, pipping Ku-ring-gai by four goals (49-45) before fortunes were reversed in Round 16 with Kur-ring-gai claiming a one goal victory. While honours have been split, fans can expect a tight 60 minute contest based on the previous results.

Ku-ring-gai have earned themselves a reputation for surviving the thrillers, having kept their season alive with a 44-43 Semi Final win over Northern Suburbs last week. Meanwhile St George District were unlucky against Minor Premiers Eastwood Ryde in what was a see-sawing Semi Final battle, finishing the wrong side of a 47-44 scoreline.

Division 2

Illawarra District v Randwick / Thurs 1 Sept, 6:45pm

Minor Premiers Illawarra District missed a golden opportunity to book their place in the 2016 Grand Final when they fell to Hunter United in the Semi Final. Trailing throughout the first half, Illawarra were able to even the scoreboard at three quarter time, but were unable to finish off with Hunter claiming a tight 48-46 victory – just Illawarra’s second loss for the season.

Illawarra will now turn its attentions to Randwick in the sudden-death Preliminary Final, and will enter with confidence having claimed consecutive wins in both their previous games; first in Round 5 by a single goal (43-42) and again in Round 14, 47-39. However, Randwick enter the match brimming with confidence having posted the largest Semi Final winning margin in all six divisions last week; defeating Hills District 59-41. Despite just 0.59 goal differential separating Randwick and Hills at the end of the regular season, a dominant 30 minute performance in the second and third quarters put Randwick in the driver’s seat for the match.

Division 3

Blue Mountains v Central Coast / Mon 29 Aug, 8:30pm

Both Blue Mountains and Central Coast share honours in 2016, having both posted a win over the other during the season…and convincing wins at that. Blue Mountains got things underway in Round 9 with a 65-46 victory, before Central Coast evened the ledger with a 10-goal victory (60-50) more recently in Round 18; the final round of the regular season.

Minor Premiers Blue Mountains have a second chance at the title decider, after falling away from Campbelltown in the Semi Final; scores were tied 14 apiece at quarter time, before the latter stormed home to claim a 17-goal win. On the contrary, Central Coast were on the positive end of their Semi Final result; leading Kur-ring-gai at every break to finish 54-38 victors.

Division 4

Manly Warringah v Northern Suburbs / Mon 29 Aug, 6:45pm

Whoever emerges winner between neighbouring rivals, Manly Warringah and Northern Suburbs, will be anyone’s guess after the two teams finished just 0.17 percent goal difference to each other at the end of the regular round; Manly with the greater goal scoring ability with 880 goals so far this season (86 more than their Preliminary Final opponent), while Northern Suburbs have the better defensive record with an average of 35.4 goals scored against them per game (Manly have an average of 38.8 goals).

Division 5

Hills District v Blacktown City / Tues 30 Aug, 8:30pm

Second versus third will go head-to-head, with Hills District and Blacktown City contesting for a spot in the Grand Final, where they will meet Inner Western Suburbs. Hills District were unlucky in their Semi Final match-up with the Minor Premiers, staying within touch of Inner West for the majority of the match before falling away in the final 15 minutes (52-38). Alternatively, Blacktown City were able to withhold a fast-finishing Ku-ring-gai to keep their season alive, posting a 48-40 win to advance through to the penultimate game.

Despite heading into the game on the back of a loss, Hills District have claimed consecutive wins over Blacktown so far this season; albeit within single figures. Hills District posted a thrilling 45-44 victory in Round 3, before a 43-35 victory in Round 12.

Division 6

Hawkesbury City v Mount Druitt / Tues 30 Aug, 6:45pm

Just like their Division 3 counterparts, both Hawkesbury City and Mount Druitt have posted convincing wins over each during the regular season; Mount Druitt up first in Round 8 (45-31) before Hawkesbury City enacted revenge in Round 17 (47-26).

However Mount Druitt head into the Preliminary Final with confidence following their tight two-goal victory over a fast-finishing Blue Mountains in the Semi Final. After enjoying a fairly dominant first half – in which they led by five goals – Mount Druitt had to withhold a determined Blue Mountains outfit after they got within a couple goals. On the other side of the fence, Hawkesbury City are backing up after a 14-goal defeat at the hands of Minor Premiers Inner Western Suburbs. While they were on the wrong side of a 51-37 result, Hawkesbury City can take plenty out of their second and fourth quarter performance against Inner West.

Join us at Netball Central to help cheer on your Association in the DOOLEYS Metro League Finals Series! Entry is $5.50 for Adults, $4.40 for Concessions, and can be purchased on the door upon arrival.